1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a process and equipment for producing thin slabs, whose cross section is reduced during solidification, in a continuous casting plant, whose strand guide following the mold has wedge-shaped, adjustable roll sections or strand segments for regulating the thickness of the strand or thin slab.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known from EP 0 450 391 B1 that, in a thin slab casting machine, to support the cast strand, especially for soft reduction, symmetrically opposite roll supports can be provided below the continuous casting mold on both sides of the cast strand, the rolls of which are in working connection with the strand. Each roll support is mounted in a stationary frame and divided into segments that support several rolls, and each segment has adjusting devices. The roll-supporting segments are flexibly coupled with one another in such a way that each segment can be set and adjusted individually at any desired angle to the strand. Mechanical, hydraulic, or mechanical-hydraulic adjusting devices are used for this purpose.
DE 196 39 297 A1 describes a process and equipment for high-speed continuous casting plants with strand thickness reduction during solidification. The strand cross section is linearly reduced over a minimum length of the strand guide immediately below the mold. With the following further reduction of the strand cross section over the remainder of the strand guide (soft reduction) until at most immediately before the final solidification or the tip of the liquid crater of the liquid core, a critical deformation of the strand is avoided, taking into account the casting rate and the steel grade. EP 0 611 610 A1 also describes strand casting with distribution of the thickness reduction over the length of the strand guide, in which the casting of the strand is additionally followed by hot rolling of the slabs previously cut off from the strand.